A military satellite atop the Souyuz-2.1a carrier rocket has been successfully launched into orbit, the Russian Defense Ministry's press service told RIA Novosti on Thursday, adding that the Russian Aerospace Forces assumed control of the spacecraft's flight.

This is the second Soyuz-2 launch from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia this year.

"The spacecraft launched in the Russian Defense Ministry's interests cleanly separated from the third stage of the Soyuz-2.1a carrier rocket at an estimated time of 12:52 p.m. Moscow time [09:52 GMT] and was successfully launched into orbit at a scheduled time," the ministry said.

The ministry's press service added that the Aerospace Forces' ground-based Titov Main Test and Space Systems Control Center assumed control of the Soyuz-2.1a at 09:45 GMT.

Source: Sputnik News